Chinsagu No Hanaya
by Lovitas
Summary: Some suffer the fates of death, others are forced to live without the comfort. She knows exactly what its like to suffer, to have all innocence ripped from the friendly embrace of childhood. But so does he. [Warning: Dark/Mature Themes and Possible Triggers]
1. Forbidden Colors

**Title**: Chinsagu No Hanaya  
**Summary**: Some suffer the fates of death, others are forced to live without the comfort. She knows exactly what its like to suffer, to have all innocence ripped from the friendly embrace of childhood. But so does he.  
**Rating**: R  
**Warnings**: Rape, Character Death, Torture, Bondage  
**Characters/Pairings**: Reno/Yuffie -Vincent/Yuffie – Cloud/Tifa – Cid/Shera –

**Chapter 1**: Forbidden Colors

* * *

"I can't believe this happened..."

"I don't think any of us were expecting it."

"We should have gone with her."

"...I know."

Crimson eyes rose up over the horizons of a scarlet-colored collar, a grave expression hidden beneath it. The gunman had been listening to the two talk for hours, leading themselves on that there was truly 'nothing' that they could have done. They were walking in circles to try and get out of their guilt, their footsteps burying them into blood-stained snow.

_Clank._ Vincent set down his brandy glass, dark red orbs staring down into its reflection of the overhead lights. In his opinion, there was always something you could do to prevent shit like this from happening. Gloved fingers tightened around the glass, those scarlet optics raising to linger on the stairwell behind the bar.

"You shouldn't blame yourself." Cloud's voice cut into Vincent's ear like the edge of his blade. The content of the sentence made red eyes narrow, jaw setting so teeth could grind together. What soap box had crawled its way beneath Cloud's feet?

Vincent spoke, "I don't blame myself." There was a guttural tone to his voice, each word bitten out by fierce, angry teeth. How much deeper could they dig themselves before the truth would fall upon their heads? It wouldn't be long before their tunnel of shameless back-patting collapsed in on them all.

Cloud, though, settled a hand onto the Gunman's shoulder for a moment, as if about to speak. His expression, calm and evasive, changed to one of understanding respect when Vincent tightened his shoulder-blade. He didn't need to hear Cloud's gross attempt at camaraderie. He didn't need his 'comfort'.

"I'm gonna hug Shera that much tighter," Cid's voice was quiet, lips squashed against the edge of a glass. It had to be his forth drink by now. His eyes, though, were beady and cold, cruel and lamenting. "What kinda monster would do that kinda shit to a kid?"

"I don't know. But I'm gonna find him." The spike-haired blond returned to his own seat, shifting from side to side as he was topped-off by a familiar barmaid. "I'm gonna find him and I'm gonna make him pay!" Gloved fingers tightened around a glass, blue eyes burning into the ash wood of the counter.

"You don't even know who it was," Tifa's voice chimed in, a light, comforting air to her composure. Deep down, everyone knew she was just as angry as the rest of them, but her attempt to lessen the mood was admirable. "She doesn't even know who it was."

Cloud's free hand slammed down onto the counter, startling Tifa,"We can't just do nothing!"

Vincent turned his head to the side, leather gloved fingers tapping rhythmically against the counter. What _could_ they do? In a time like this, when all was supposed to be peaceful, the unthinkable suddenly happens and there's nothing to be done? They'd brought justice down upon the destroyer of worlds and yet they could do nothing to a simple, human man? The situation felt almost helpless.

Stretching his legs out below the lightly colored wood, his ears picked up on a sound that cut through the ongoing argument between Cloud and the Barmaid. A soft, almost out-of-key tune that it seemed only he noticed. It was funny, like another kind of language he'd not remembered hearing before. He could pick out what it reminded him of but he couldn't be sure.

"Hn." Was the gunman's only input as he stood, long legs carrying him beyond the bar stool he'd sat upon and into the curving stairwell. His palm felt around the warmed rock interior, noting a fireplace just beyond the wall. But that wasn't what interested him, nor was it the curious and fearful stares of those who'd seen him leave the main room.

"てぃんさぐぬ花..."

He tilted his head at the sound, eyes narrowed ever so slightly. It wasn't horrifyingly bad...in fact, it was almost kind of pleasant. He couldn't really make out the words, neither could he understand what they meant. But he knew they were beautiful.

"Tifa?"

Vincent's eyes shot open, head flinging itself back toward the main room. Had he been breathing too loud? Perhaps he'd allowed his stomach to groan or growl without realizing it? Either way, he was sure that the girl calling for Tifa was actually calling for him.

No one had seen her since the accident but Tifa, as she'd claimed that her injuries would only prove to upset the other members of the team. He'd heard that she had trouble seeing now, that her heart and mood had simply drowned in sorrow.

Slowly, he crept toward the door, gold-tipped boots creaking along the floorboards. Trying to keep his breathing at a low, steady rate was already hard enough with his anger, but now he couldn't stop his heart from pounding. Could he handle what he was about to see? Could he handle the heartbreak that would surely be written on the young girl's face?

"Vincent!" Tifa's whispering voice scolded him just as he was about to turn the corner, her polished fingernails curling into the material of his cloak to yank him back into the stairwell. "Vincent, what are you doing? She doesn't want anyone to see her."

"She..." Vincent's eyes popped; he wasn't used to be scolded like this, much less by someone like Tifa. Pointing an accusing finger behind himself, his brows furrowed only slightly. "She was calling for you."

* * *

"So what's with all the secrecy?" Reno leaned against the pick-up truck, eyebrows raising toward his hairline. "You guys are usually guarded n' all that jazz, but you're acting reaaal fishy."

Cloud watched as the red-head tapped his EM-rod against the tire, the sound of metal hitting rubber irritating his senses. It wasn't like he could simply trust Reno with information on what had happened. It had barely been three days since the incident and he didn't want ShinRa running after them like a bleeding boar. He was being trusted with the information and he wasn't about to just hand it over so easily.

Then again, it hadn't been easy for any of them since the incident. Most had walked around with their heads bowed. Some, like Barret, had gone home to be with their families. He'd taken Marlene far from their vacation spot, fearing for her safety as well. Even Reeve seemed to be on edge now, always pacing with his hands wringing together. Most days Cloud kept to himself, taking a liking to reading in silence or holding his best friend to his side.

"You gonna tell me, or what? I ain't seen you guys this down since Aeris." Cloud's eyes darted up at Reno's comment. He extended a hand, his body shooting forward as it clasped around the Turk's throat, pushing him into the side of the truck's bed. "Alright- Alright-!"

"Don't you ever say that name," The blond warned, his knuckles turning white from how hard he'd begun to squeeze that neck. "Its partially your fault that she's dead. How do I know ShinRa isn't to blame for this too?" It wouldn't surprise him if he found evidence of it being a Turk. Especially this one. Still, upon seeing Reno's lashes flutter, he released him and earned a satisfactory coughing fit from him.

"Gee-Geeze!" Reno exclaimed, eyes widening as oxygen flew into his lungs. "I see...I see that hard feelings ain't gone."

"Did you come here to help or what?" Cloud's voice was rigid, as if a single pin could cause him to snap. "We don't need more hurt."

Reno, however, as if sensing the sensitivity of the situation, propped himself up on the gate of his truck, shifting from side to side to get comfortable. The little bumps in the gate always tried to go up his ass and he just _didn't_ swing that way.

"Kinda hard to say if you don't tell me what's goin' on." He offered, taking on a less teasing tone. "Even after everything, we came through for you. Ain't nobody gonna tell us we don't owe you guys something fierce."

Cloud's mind considered these words as he paced, boots squishing down on the autumn leaves below his feet. Tifa would kill him if she found out he was even there, talking with the Turks about such a recent and sensitive happening. But he _knew _that they needed help. This wasn't just something that was going to go away. This wasn't just going to magically disappear.

"Someone attacked one of our members."

Reno's eyebrows raised, his fingernails beginning to tap against the gate's metal. How on earth was this his problem, exactly? He'd seen people attack AVALANCHE since the beginning of this all, he being one of the assailants. Rolling his eyes, he let out a sigh, lips curling into a smile. "I don't really see..."

"He raped Yuffie."

Reno's jaw slackened, a sort of dead space filling his pupils. Those words spoken by the blond rang in his ears like a bell, the chiming echoes only terrifying him longer. Yuffie? The cute little ninja girl that'd gotten trapped with Elena? Yeah, he knew her...perhaps a little too well, for Tseng's tastes. Not that anyone knew about that.

"Say what?" The Turk's voice was breathy, eyes turning cold like stone. His throat was dry, his Adam's-apple bobbing up and down repeatedly as he stammered for words.

"We don't know who it was. Neither does she." Cloud's fingers ground together a spec of dust that had manifested upon his glove, jaw setting as he spoke. He'd practically read Reno's mind- read everyone's mind. There wasn't a soul who knew that didn't want to go after this creep.

"Cloud, you've got to tell someone about this. Icicle ain't big. We can search- we can question. Hell, we could even torture if-"

"Have you learned nothing?" Cloud rounded on him, face flushing a deep crimson. "ShinRa has no place in the justice system, or have you forgotten Corel Prison?"

"Then at least let me see her."

"No."

There was a suffocating silence between the two of them, eyes locked in a heated stare. Reno supposed it was only right of Cloud to be suspicious now, especially with what the poor girl had gone through. A man like _him_ was probably the last thing she wanted to see.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Reviews are very much appreciated and advice on where to take this story is always accepted.

-Lovitas


	2. Yuffie No Komoriuta

**Title**: Chinsagu No Hanaya  
**Summary**: Some suffer the fates of death, others are forced to live without the comfort. She knows exactly what its like to suffer, to have all innocence ripped from the friendly embrace of childhood. But so does he.  
**Rating**: R  
**Warnings**: Rape, Character Death, Torture  
**Characters/Pairings**: Reno/Yuffie -Vincent/Yuffie – Cloud/Tifa – Cid/Shera –

**Chapter 2**: Yuffie No Komoriuta

* * *

Things had been hard, there would be no denying that for the little ninja. Things had been hard and they weren't going to get any better. She'd been bed-ridden for three days and already she'd been planning to stay there, staring down at the quilt-woven blankets drawn over her legs. Sipping the comfort of pre-packaged Jasmine to the scent of cherry blossoms in an aerosol can, she felt like she couldn't ask for more.

She'd heard her friends talking downstairs about her, heard them saying about how they wanted to get revenge for her nightmare. She'd heard someone stop in the stairwell the other night, listening to her sing. She'd heard Tifa scolding someone in the hallway, too.

"How're you feeling?" Said barmaid picked up the styrofoam plate from Yuffie's bedside table, ebony-colored eyes searching the ninja's expression. "You've almost finished your tea. You want some more?"

"Mmhm," Yuffie nods, staring down at the mocha-colored stain at the bottom of her cup. She'd been spacing out an awful lot lately, her mind playing and replaying visions of perfect harmony in her mind. They weren't real of course, but her imagination just wouldn't quit. "I'm fine."

Tifa's eyes closed at those words, a soft, silent sigh escaping through her nostrils. She knew that was a lie. The two most passive words in the world and they'd come from the mouth of one of her best friends. "Yuffie..." She began.

"I'm hungry." Yuffie states suddenly, turning her head to gaze out of the window. "Do you think Cloud could run down the street to that little Wutaian restaurant? I like their terriyaki."

Tifa fell silent, watching the girl turn away from her hurt. She knew that the last thing she would want to do is talk to her about it. The last thing she'd want to do is talk to _anyone_ about it. But she had to know. What if she could put together two and two and figure out who'd done this to her? What if she could help her?

_I'm no different from the others,_ Tifa realized, closing her eyes in regret. _Blindly waving a sword at every chance I get to find this guy without once thinking of Yuffie's feelings. What's wrong with me?_

"You bet," Yuffie looked up with a smile at Tifa's response, placing a hand over her stomach to signal she would be happy for the food. "But, Yuffie."

"Yes, Tifa?" The Ninja's voice was light, fingers tapping against the sheets in hope she wouldn't begin to ask questions.

Tifa stared at her long and hard, the ticking of the clock the only noise to pass through the air. She could ask her, she could right then and there. Closing her eyes, Tifa lowered the paper plate to the waste bin not far off, giving another sigh from her nose. "That song you're always singing and humming..."

Yuffie interrupted her question with a strange statement, "The Flower of Balsam, one dyes on one's fingernails. The words of one's parents, one must dye in one's heart."

Confusion marred the barmaid's features, her mind attempting to scramble out of the riddle that was just thrown at her. "I don't understand. What has that got to do with anything?"

"It has to do with everything," The ninja smiled, hands clasping together to show her harmless intentions.

* * *

Yuffie leaned back against the iron of the tub, eyes staring up into the chandelier over-head. It was dimly lit, a plethora of different bath salts filling the steamy water. _No matter how many times I take a bath, I still feel all dirty, _Yuffie closed her eyes in thought, one leg closed tightly over the other. _I shouldn't be this upset. The other's are all sad now and its because of me. Come on, Yuffie; you're a big girl. You can fake it!_

But it wasn't over. It wasn't okay. For once, throughout her entire thieving career, Yuffie didn't want to be a big girl anymore. She wanted to disappear into the familiar flower fields of her homeland, gathering the colored buds to place at an equally familiar gravestone. She wanted to sing about the easy life of home, to hum the familiar tunes of a shamisen and erhu accompaniment. To feel the wind while standing on Da Chao...

_I guess I'm just longing for old times. _

_**There's really nothing wrong with that.**_

Yuffie jumped at the sound, swinging her head from left to right. Her arms wrapped up and around her bosom, eyes narrowing in disgust. "Whoever you are, come out and show yourself!" Her voice echoed out around the room, legs drawing together in the hot, steaming water.

_**Ever-alert. You're truly everything he said, and more. **_

There it was again! Yuffie twisted around to look for windows, grates- anything! Where was this sound, this _voice_ coming from? She ground her teeth together, huddling herself into the back of the claw-foot tub. _Where are you, you little fucker?_

_**I'm right here; inside your head.**_

Yuffie paused. Inside her head? Was she losing her mind? This voice was a product of trauma, wasn't it? Bringing her soaked fingers up to her hair, she threaded them through the short strands, yanking at them in both fear and confusion. _Inside my head? Who are you? What do you want from me?_

_**Relax, young one. I'm no threat to a meager fleshy, like you. I am simply...checking up on you, if you will. For an old friend. **_

_An old friend? Who are you?_ Yuffie's hands drag down her face, slowly coming to rest on her drawn-up knees. She's never experienced anything like this before. In her own terms, it was a bit of a mindfuck.

_**Red is he clothed, swathed in the blood-stained mural while powder he lights aflame. **_

_How Poetic_, Yuffie thought, almost rolling her eyes. He seemed to speak perfectly good English...well, she thought it was a he anyway. But she'd not exactly been having the best time differentiating the genders- no.

_Wait. Red? You're friends with Vincent, aren't you?_

_**Very good, child. Very good. **_

Yuffie relaxed a little, staring down at her palms as she listened and thought. One of Vincent's friends had sent a scary voice to check up on her? Or was it Vincent that had sent it? Either way, it was definitely the creepiest way of spying on her yet. _So...What is your name?_

_**I've many names, child. But I suppose for now, you may call me Chaos. **_

"Yuffie?" The door creaked open, the head of a triple-barreled gun entering the room first. "I heard you yelling. Are you alright?" Vincent's deep, guttural voice filled the room.

"I wasn't yelling," Yuffie assured him, sinking deeper into the water around her. She didn't want him seeing her- not like this. Not bruised and battered. Not as she was. "You must have heard something else."

_**Sad...**_

Vincent paused as he listened, withdrawing his gun. He was certain he'd heard her yelling; she'd sounded afraid, like someone was breaking into the washroom. Vincent cleared his throat, "Are you alright?"

The Ninja leaned back against the iron of the tub, the steam having long risen away. The skin of her fingers and toes had pruned, leaving them welted and gross looking. She gave an exhale, almost leaving that as her only response before closing her eyes to settle, "Yes, Vincent. I am fine. Thank you for asking."

Vincent turned, shaking his head from side to side. Leather-coated fingers twisted at the doorknob, aiming to shut it without a noise. He didn't understand this sort of foolishness. She wasn't fine. He didn't want to hear that she was fine. He'd rather her explode into tears and tell him a thousand times that she _wasn't _fine, as long as that would bring back the spring in her step.

"Vincent?"

He paused, crimson eyes darkening behind his eyelids. His fingers tightened around the knob, throat giving a hollow swallow as he awaited her words. Why did he feel so willing to please her? "Yes?" He cleared his throat.

"Don't go."

* * *

Please not that the song used here is an ancient Ryukyuan folk song, meaning that it is not Japanese.

Reviews and Suggestions are always appreciated!


End file.
